This was the first year synod invited deacons to serve as advisors. “It’s really interesting to see the workings of our denomination,” said deacon adviser Mary Osinga, “and to find all these passionate people who care so much about what they are doing.”
In their closing comments, two deacons, Tamara Haveman and Bernard Feenstra, thanked the Board of Trustees for appointing them and allowing them the privilege of serving synod in this capacity. They spoke of its being an honor and a historic event to be at synod as there is now the expectation of an expanded role.
“We are impressed to see the work of the denomination in a big-picture way and are thankful for all those individuals who have the gift of attention to detail and help it all come together,” they said. “Each of us took something unique from those experiences.”
The deacons are excited about conveying what they learned to their congregations and area churches. They observed, “We think the greatest compliment a person can give another individual is to say ‘my Jesus is more real to me because of you.’ The deacon advisors can say that our Jesus is more real to each of us because we were here. God bless.”
Synod 2014 is meeting at Central College in Pella, Iowa, from June 13-19. For continuous Banner coverage, please follow The Banner on Facebook or @crcbanner on Twitter. You can find more tweeting by following hashtag #crcsynod. News stories will be posted at www.thebanner.org several times daily. For CRC Communications releases, webcast, and live blogging, please visit www.crcna.org/synod. Unless noted otherwise, all photographs are by Karen Huttenga.
About the Author
George Vink is retired after 50 years as a Christian Reformed pastor. One of his sons is an accident investigator for the Calgary (Alta.) Police Service, and his two brothers are retired from that position. He and his wife, Shirley, are members of Covenant CRC in Cutlerville, Mich.
